*HP HDX 9000 DRAGON Owners Lounge, Part 2*

[frostbytes]

Our bricks are 9 cell, not 6.

Oh. Well I'll scratch that item off the list of potentials.

Hopefully someone will chime in with a recommended battery source.

[L]

[zonius.alexandr]

Hey everyone,

Long time lurker here. I can't thank you enough for all the valuable guides and resources you've posted over the years. It seems like every time I run into a problem, I just search this thread and someone (usually 2.0) has already come up with a solution.

For awhile now I've been having an issue that I can't seem to find an answer for. When I would take my laptop into work (or really anywhere outside my house), it would invariably start freezing up. Sometimes I could go a few hours without a problem, other times it would freeze up as soon as it booted up to the desktop. Lately the screen will freeze for a few seconds and then the monitor will go black. If I'm listening to music, it will keep playing normally after the freeze. I always have to resort to pressing and holding the power button to do a hard restart.

Despite all of these problems, I never had any issues with my laptop at home. After testing many different combinations of peripherals, I narrowed it down to the external monitor I'm using at home. If I've got my desktop extended onto the external monitor, I have no issues. If I disconnect it, my laptop always freezes at some point within the next few minutes.

I'm hoping one of you might have encountered something similar, or at least know what I should try next to fix this. In case it's helpful, here are a bunch of details about my setup:

HDX 9494nr with a 512MB 8800M GTS
NVIDIA driver version: 285.62
Monitor plugged into the VGA port
Laptop resolution: 1680x1050; Monitor resolution: 1280x1024
More often than not, when it crashes it freezes right when I'm minimizing a window

[2.0™]

Hey everyone,

Long time lurker here. I can't thank you enough for all the valuable guides and resources you've posted over the years. It seems like every time I run into a problem, I just search this thread and someone (usually 2.0) has already come up with a solution.

Glad you decided to join up and post. Welcome aboard my friend.

For awhile now I've been having an issue that I can't seem to find an answer for. When I would take my laptop into work (or really anywhere outside my house), it would invariably start freezing up. Sometimes I could go a few hours without a problem, other times it would freeze up as soon as it booted up to the desktop. Lately the screen will freeze for a few seconds and then the monitor will go black. If I'm listening to music, it will keep playing normally after the freeze. I always have to resort to pressing and holding the power button to do a hard restart.

Despite all of these problems, I never had any issues with my laptop at home. After testing many different combinations of peripherals, I narrowed it down to the external monitor I'm using at home. If I've got my desktop extended onto the external monitor, I have no issues. If I disconnect it, my laptop always freezes at some point within the next few minutes.

I'm hoping one of you might have encountered something similar, or at least know what I should try next to fix this. In case it's helpful, here are a bunch of details about my setup:

HDX 9494nr with a 512MB 8800M GTS
NVIDIA driver version: 285.62
Monitor plugged into the VGA port
Laptop resolution: 1680x1050; Monitor resolution: 1280x1024
More often than not, when it crashes it freezes right when I'm minimizing a window

Considering that you are using a >250.00 driver, I am going to assume you did the proper steps for disabling powermizer.

Your problem appears to be that you have powermizer engaged when on battery. You need to also disable it when on battery.

There's a link on page 1 concerning how to properly disable powermizer when using >250.00 drivers. I haven't fully finished the tutorial. I need to add the method to change GPU clocks without using Nvidia system tools. Much more elegant solution IMO. I'm running that configuration on both my HDXs.

[2.0™]

You can adapt a connection from a $5, on sale with coupon at Harbor Freight, 12V auto battery trickle charger and that'll do the job - not exactly easy and simple, however inexpensive and functional.

Going to look into getting one of those. Just have to figure out the battery pinouts. It's probably in the schematic.

[S_K_I]

How much/what type of data (compressible/incompressible) has been written to the drive and in what period of time? What is the ratio of data writing time vs. powered on idle time (giving the drive enough time to perform maintenance)? What are the results of SMART inquiry?

I'll try to answer that best I can based on the limited knowledge I have on this sorta stuff. In terms of data writing I'm what you would call a power user because I'm constantly using the HDX at it's full load, I average 200gb bandwidth cap a month, and using 3d modelling programs and playing video games, I'm pretty much tapping it out. But to specifically answer your question how do I find this data?

Second, TRIM is already enabled, I double checked in the command prompt "fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify" and it's status is at 0. So as far as I know it's enabled.

Additionaly, I checked the alignment by going to
misinfo32=>components => storage => disks
and checking the partition starting offset. Divided the number availabe by 4096 and it was a whole number. So that checks out.

After looking at SSD Magician and checking the SMART tab whatever that is, I'm presented with numerious data such as wear leveling count, ECC Error Rate, etc. Here's an SS:


@2.0
I was completely unaware of the garbage collection and performance over time, but after this reading this article on Anandtech, it kinda opened up my eyes:
AnandTech - The Samsung SSD 830 Review

Regarding the part letting my computer run idle, because unfortunately I know for a fact that I haven't yet hehe, could I simply just log out from the desktop and leave it idle from there at the login screen, or should I password protect it? Just trying to clarify that part is all. And I should wait 1 hour from the time I let it sit? Can I simply just let it idle while logged in to windows? If you could elaborate further that would be great, thanks.

[zonius.alexandr]

Considering that you are using a >250.00 driver, I am going to assume you did the proper steps for disabling powermizer.

Your problem appears to be that you have powermizer engaged when on battery. You need to also disable it when on battery.

Aha! I checked the powermizer settings and I must have left it enabled and set to auto-throttle on battery. I've disabled it now and it's working great so far, no more random crashes.

2.0 saves the day again!

[Draax]

I know this was some time ago, but I now have time to take another look at my SSD issue

My summary:
Your problem description is not accurate enough.
"lock-ups" and "hard lock" is not descriptive enough.
What exactly happens? Short Term Freeze? Freeze with "HDX" crash "what is displayed on the screen with this error?

The program/desktop will freeze (not allow me to interact or click on anything) but will allow me to move the mouse cursor for a few seconds until the system locks up and I have to restart. Sometimes the screen will go black sometimes it will just freeze.

There are many possible causes of "lock-up" problems.
For example, "SSD firmware," "PM965 chipset / SSD controller compatibility issues", "Partition Alignment", "other driver", "LPM", and, and, and

Possibly the method of installation is to blame. My systems I install Win7 without ever "100MB" Bitlocker partition. (HDX anyway has no TPM)
This is for information only! I do not think the problem lies in that partition.

I am running 3.5 firmware for the vertex plus. There is an updated firmware but I will have to put the drive in another computer to update because the drive needs to be set to IDE mode for it to be detected for the firmware update.

I am using the chipset drivers you have posted. I turned LPM off with the reg value file. This is a fresh partition/format/and install of windows 7.

I do not know what you mean by the 100mb bitlocker partition.

"OCZ Vertex Plus SATA2" = "Barefoot+Martini controller " Google for problems!
"Muskin Chronos 120GB SATA3" = "SandForce SF-2281 controller" He has problems with certain hardware and firmware. Google for problems!

The work "both SSD" on your other hardware is already great.
However, there is also working another chipset. Therefore, this is not 1 to 1 on the "HDX" transferable.

Perhaps this also has nothing to do directly with the SSD. Other possible causes:
No original WiFi card.
Nvidia GPU drivers over "257.21".
software
and, and, and

Previously I was using GPU drivers over 257.21. I have just used driver sweeper to remove the old ones, and I now have 257.21 on. I didn't realize this could be a problem, could this cause the system to hang?

I have the original wifi card.

Thanks for your input.

[DRAGONe]

... I'm constantly using the HDX at it's full load, I average 200gb bandwidth cap a month, and using 3d modelling programs and playing video games, I'm pretty much tapping it out. But to specifically answer your question how do I find this data?

Your description of your activities is sufficient - you've stuffed up your drive; a Sammy, because of it's FW's passive approach to GC and your usage/write profile, probably wasn't the optimal choice for your scenario.

... TRIM is already enabled, ...

As RB would note "ALWAYS" (unless for some strange reason you switched it off), and is just a command that identifies data that can be scrubbed - it is the controller's subsequent GC that restores performance.

Additionaly, I checked the alignment by going to
misinfo32=>components => storage => disks
and checking the partition starting offset. Divided the number availabe by 4096 and it was a whole number. So that checks out.

Had it been misaligned the original SS of your drive performance would have been markedly different, and additional/other aspects would've presented themselves.

After looking at SSD Magician and checking the SMART tab whatever that is, I'm presented with numerious data such as wear leveling count, ECC Error Rate, etc.

Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology - SMART attributes

I was completely unaware of the garbage collection and performance over time, but after this reading this article on Anandtech, it kinda opened up my eyes:
AnandTech - The Samsung SSD 830 Review

Regarding the part letting my computer run idle, because unfortunately I know for a fact that I haven't yet hehe, could I simply just log out from the desktop and leave it idle from there at the login screen, or should I password protect it? Just trying to clarify that part is all. And I should wait 1 hour from the time I let it sit? Can I simply just let it idle while logged in to windows? If you could elaborate further that would be great, thanks.

You should leave it at the desktop. 1 hour for all the usage you do will produce only a small amount of clean up; you should probably consider making the screen closure affect nothing, close the lid when not in use and leave the system on 24/7 (at least until you see dramatic improvements in the scores, and quite honestly the way you describe your usage, potentially perpetually). How scientifically factual it is I do not know, however I've heard a rule of thumb for both refrigerators and SSDs - 2 hours to adjust for each hour - in the case of fridges, if it's not standing erect, in SSDs, under writes.

[DRAGONe]

... SSD issue

Possibly, however unlikely.

The program/desktop will freeze (not allow me to interact or click on anything) but will allow me to move the mouse cursor for a few seconds until the system locks up and I have to restart. Sometimes the screen will go black sometimes it will just freeze.

I am using the chipset drivers you have posted. I turned LPM off with the reg value file. This is a fresh partition/format/and install of windows 7. Previously I was using GPU drivers over 257.21. I have just used driver sweeper to remove the old ones, and I now have 257.21 on. I didn't realize this could be a problem, could this cause the system to hang?

Watch, I'm going to perform an amazing stunt now, jump ahead of myself - you have GPU driver issues.

[kohai]

DAGNABBIT!! Can someone please post a battery diagram to show how to connect the trickle charger. Being an eco-concerned citizen, in the last six months, I have recycled FOUR batteries that would not calibrate and then take a charge. I own a 12V trickle charger. smh.